


The Wrong Kind of Family

by banjkazfan



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Coercion, Control, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, M/M, Mild Language, Some angst, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-21
Updated: 2017-01-21
Packaged: 2018-09-19 01:36:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9411590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/banjkazfan/pseuds/banjkazfan
Summary: While making another ore run for a certain reporter, Noctis, Ignis, Gladio, and Prompto come across the head of a dangerous crime family who decides that our boys need a lesson for trespassing.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the FFXV kink meme. The OP requested:
> 
> "I just really want something where the group is taken captive. 
> 
> Either Noct is being used as a way to keep the other guys under control, or the captors are threatening to hurt one of the three in order to make Noct do something. Or both?"
> 
> And I said "oh shit that's my jam" And here we are. Still offering cookies to anyone who recognizes the villain, though - as I said on the meme - I acknowledge that it's a pretty obscure callback to a game that I need to admit is getting old.
> 
> (Dear AO3 members, please teach me how to tag. I swear I know what my stories are about until I sit down to write the tags. Goddamn.)

If they get back to Galdin Quay – _when_ they get back to Galdin Quay, Gladio tells himself – he’s going to beat the shit out of Dino Ghiranze.

The reporter ( _amateur artisan, what a crock of shit_ ) has sent them out to find more ores for his art.  The fact that not a single Hunter is willing to help Ghiranze should have been a tip-off that this wasn’t a smart venture to pursue, but Noctis is too damn willing for his own good – and besides, Gladio remembers as he rolls one of his pursuers off of his shoulders, they had needed the money.  The fact that Dino’s willing to share the wares he makes often sweetens the deal and lulls him into more of a sense of security.

Ghiranze is going to regret making them his personal _errand boys_ , Gladio will personally make sure of that.

But he can’t focus on that now.  Ignis presses his back against Gladio’s in an attempt to cover all of their sides and Gladio is momentarily thankful for the weight against him.  But just as quickly Noctis is calling out for instructions, and Ignis is gone again.  Quickly Gladio turns his attention to Prompto, somewhere off to his right, and notices a moment too late the danger lurking.  “Prompto, behind you!”

The blond turns back just in time to see his assailant taking a swing at him, which clips his temple and sends him crumbling.  And at that point, they all start to fall apart.  Gladio’s raring to fight and tries desperately to cover Prompto and himself, but with one person down, that’s one less body to draw attention away and he’s unprepared for their sheer fucking _numbers_.

With Gladio sufficiently distracted, Ignis finds that he’s busier watching Noctis than his own back, and he’s quickly flanked by some clown with hair the color of cotton candy.  He’s unimpressed when he feels the man trying to get a grip on his arm, likely to pin him down, and is prepared to fight back when he sees three people surrounding Noctis.  “Behind you, Noct!” he shouts, but all it does is draw the prince’s attention to his predicament and gives his attackers a chance to each draw a weapon on him.

“Alright, _nobody move!_ ”  The man behind Ignis raises his voice to be heard, and Ignis pauses as he sees the myriad of weapons pointing at Noctis.  “You, Specs.”  He gives Ignis’ calf a rough nudge with his own foot.  “You don’t want them to break his jaw?  Get on your knees.”

Ignis breathes just as calmly as normal as he raises his hands and desummons his weapons to show that he is willing to comply.  As much as he wants to fight back, he knows that they are outnumbered and that they _will_ hurt Noct – and quite possibly the others – if he attempts to struggle.  It unsettles him that their foes seem willing to take prisoners; most of their run-ins with anything not Daemon are battles to the death.  Slowly he sinks to his knees and continues to breathe evenly despite the way his hands are roughly tied behind his back.  Noctis, in turn, seeing the situation that they are all in, complies just as easily and is tied in a similar manner.

Probably the singular thing that upends Ignis’ world the most is having no control over a situation.  And right now, with his hands tied behind his back and a knife at his throat, he certainly has none.  But he’ll be damned before he gives up his attempt to carve out even a little bit of it.

He has a plan, albeit quickly made.  It may not give him the upper hand, but it will give him a foothold where previously, there was none.

From somewhere behind them, he hears Gladio still struggling to keep men off of him and Prompto, but the younger man’s unconscious state makes it too difficult to fight them all off alone.  Ignis dares to glance backwards and feels his stomach twist as he watches the brutes pin down their other comrades, though Gladio is still trying to fight them off.  One of them sits atop Gladio and grabs the shield by the hair.  He speaks harshly about something that Ignis cannot hear, but he sees that they have their intended effect and Gladio goes completely still.

They are running out of time.

“Noct,” he says, his voice low as if he and the prince are the only people present.  He uses the familiar informal name because on the off-chance that their captors don’t _know_ who they’ve picked up, then they have a chance of talking their way out.  But if they know that they’ve got the crown prince of Lucis in their hands as well as his retainers, then it’s the end of line for their band.  “You need to listen to me.  Get out of here and don’t look back.  We’ll be right behind you.”  He certainly sounds more confident than Noctis feels right now, and the prince presses his lips together.

The adviser knows that Noct could easily warp-strike his way out of the situation.  Even though his hands are tied as well, it would be easy for him to summon his weapon and get even a little bit of leverage.  Though he’s all for compliance to keep themselves alive, if Noctis escapes and the forces scatter to look for him Ignis feels that the rest of them might have a chance to flee as well.  Prompto being subdued and knocked unconscious is a wrinkle he hadn’t planned for, but with any luck he’ll either wake up or one of them can carry him out.  The plan would only need minor tweaks to be viable.

But when Ignis swallows, feeling the tip of the knife bob against his throat, and a hand tightens in his hair, he knows that Noctis will not run.  The young man’s heart is too big for those he loves despite the aloof air he wears.

“Sure, _Noct_ ,” the voice above them sneers.  “Go for it.  We won’t stop ya.”  The taller man, the one holding Ignis, gives the others a nod and they remove their hands from Noctis.  The raven-haired man looks up at their captors, but doesn’t move just yet.  “Just know that if you make a run for it, there’s nobody here to protect your buddies…”  His voice is almost lilting and sing-song as his fingers tighten in Ignis’ hair and the adviser bites back a hiss of discomfort.  He refuses to make any sort of noise betraying pain lest that give them something _else_ to use against Noct.

“Get your hands off him.”  Noct’s voice is low and as dangerous as he can manage when he’s trussed and not in the position of power that he’s used to.  Even now that edge of royal decree is bleeding into his tone.

“Oooh, big words from the _little boy_.”  The coif of pink hair would look ridiculous on most people, but somehow the man holding Ignis looks even _more_ menacing with that wicked smirk curling under the cotton-candy locks.  “And what are you gonna do about it?”

Indecision flashes across Noctis’ face and Ignis knows that he is afraid.  He’s aware of his own abilities and that he could likely escape, but he’s afraid of getting any of them hurt.  Ignis commits himself to a course of action and speaks up before this man can get further into Noct’s head.  “For Gods’ sake, Noct, _don’t listen - !_ ”  But before he can finish the order, a hand roughly covers his mouth and the blunt side of the knife slides up along his jugular.

Noctis is on his feet now, trying to lunge at the pink-haired man, but multiple sets of arms encircle him and hold him back.  “ _Ignis!_ ” he shouts, panic on his face as he struggles.  “I said _let him go!_ ”

“Enough out of you,” the man says, and his voice is harder and far less playful than before.  “Listen up, _Prince_.  You’re in way over your head.  I know Ghiranze sent you here after the ore, but he couldn’t be assed to tell you just what kind of people you were comin’ after, did he?”

Noct stills completely and his heart slams against his chest.  Ghiranze?  Dino?  Had Dino set them up? 

“He forgot to tell you about the Kidman family?”  The man shakes his head and his pink hair fluffs around his cheeks.  “He was probably hoping you’d get in and out with our ore and he could slip under the radar a while longer.  At least he’s smart enough to know to keep his nose out of here; he just sent someone else to do the dirty work.”  A chuckle slips out and he shrugs carelessly, belying the fact that he’s still holding a man hostage.  “Good news is, this ain’t personal.  Bad news is, we’ve gotta decide what exactly to do with the crown prince of Lucis and his caretakers.”

Gladio’s wrists ache as he strains to break the ropes binding him.  Fuck, he’s making a list of people who he’s going to break in half after this is over, starting with the guy _manhandling_ Ignis.  His better half is a natural at staying calm in the worst of circumstances, but Gladio can’t help the way his own blood boils at seeing this guy so _playfully threatening Ignis with a knife to the jugular._   “We don’t _want_ your ore,” he calls from his spot on the ground, lifting his head as much as possible despite the goon sitting on him and pressing his face into the dirt.  “Let us go and we’ll tell Ghiranze that we couldn’t find it.  He ain’t worth the bullshit you’re puttin’ us through.”

Kidman laughs as he turns his attention back to Gladio, though he still holds Ignis firmly.  “Boy, _you’re_ in a great place to make demands,” he chuckles.  “Your muscles eat away at your brainpower, big boy?”  He sounds almost gleeful again.  “I wouldn’t say the possibility’s off the table, but I’ve gotta decide just what I’m gonna do with all of you first.”  He tosses his head carelessly towards Noctis.  “Leland.  I want you and a couple of the others to take the three stooges to a cell.  I’m gonna take the prince to another one.”

Noctis gives an impulsive jerk against the arms holding him.  They’re not even going to be kept together?  “Wait,” he says, but Kidman has clearly lost all interest in talking to him.  “I’ll go with you if you let the rest of them go, alright?”

Kidman rolls his eyes and tucks away the knife before he sticks his pinky in his ear as if cleaning out the wax; his free hand drifts down to grab Ignis’ bound wrists and jerk the adviser to his feet.  “Great listener, aren’t you?” he shoots back tartly.  “Listen, prince, because I’m only gonna say it one more time before I get bored.  You’re all hangin’ with the Kidman family until I figure out what to do with you.  And if you keep harassin’ me about it, you might be leaving with fewer people – assuming you leave at all.”  His hazel eyes seem to glow as he turns his sharp gaze to Noctis.  “Am I clear?”

The way he can mood swing from bored child to deadly viper sends a chill down Noctis’ spine and he knows he has no choice but to nod.  “Crystal,” he offers.


	2. Chapter 2

Gladio is absolutely _fuming_ to have to lie still and watch.  He instinctively flexes his wrists, still trying to break the ropes binding him, but the jackass sitting on his back shoves his face harder into the dirt.

“Knock it off,” he says, fingers tangling once again in the shield’s hair.  “Or Kidman’s going to take his time breaking Goggles, there.”

He’s not stupid; he knows better than to break down and show any kind of affection towards any of their crew in particular, but he goes completely still at the words, biting back a growl.  Goddammit, how did they get overwhelmed like this?  Prompto’s out for the count, Noct is straining against three sets of hands like it’s killing him, Ignis can’t even so much as flinch without risking a fatal cut to his throat, and Gladio’s trussed like a bird ready to go into the oven.  He grits his teeth against the curse that threatens to bubble out.  Their jobs are to protect Noctis, and they’ve colossally blown that.

Ghiranze is a dead man if he has anything to say about it.

Leland – a man with blond and wiry hair but bulk to rival Gladio’s – is the one who throws Prompto over his shoulder to carry him to the cell.  At least the kid’s breathing and seems to be safe, Gladio thinks.  He keeps his expression impassive as Kidman roughly shoves Ignis to another passing crony, but he feels the knot in his stomach beginning to loosen now that the pink-haired clown has his nasty hands off of the adviser.  He doesn’t have the time to focus on it now, as he’s nudged towards the mansion over the hill.

Once inside, they’re led down a myriad of hallways that wind and twist.  It occurs to Gladio that they’re being carted through the house with no attempt to hide their location, which isn’t a good sign for being let go.  They’re going to have to plan some sort of escape, but if their captor is as much for showmanship as he’s demonstrated so far, there’s a potential for it.  One thing he’s always noticed about actors is that the bigger they play, the harder they fail.

He and Ignis are quiet, each assessing the situation in their own unique ways.  Ignis’ eyes occasionally flicker to Prompto, and Gladio can tell he’s concerned for the younger man; Gladio is concerned for sure as well.  He hasn’t woken up yet, and the longer it goes the worse the potential damage is. 

A few moments later, they’re both guided into a concrete room about as wide as two adjacent broom closets.  It’s cold, and the door is barred with barely enough room for an arm to fit through.  Gladio tempers his frustration and looks around to see if there’s anything they can use.

“Home sweet home,” Leland says dryly as he unceremoniously dumps Prompto onto the floor.  Ignis holds back a flinch as his wrists are freed with the swipe of a knife, and the door is quickly shut behind them.  “You can untie the others if you want,” Leland says through the bars, almost as an afterthought as he starts to walk away.  “But you’ll all do as you’re told, if you want to keep the prince alive.”

Ignis clenches his molars together, though he keeps his face carefully blank.  “And what guarantee do we have that Noct is alive and well?”  He already knows the answer that is coming; he just wants to confirm it before he attempts to formulate any further.

Leland shrugs.  “None, I guess.”  He doesn’t offer much more than that as he ambles away.

As soon as the door down the hall slams shut, Ignis is on his knees and checking on Prompto.  The younger man’s brow is furrowed in pain, and Ignis quickly works at the ropes binding him.  Gladio stands, waiting for Ignis to finish caring for Prompto.  He’s impatient to be freed and regain some sort of control over the situation, but he knows that Prompto needs the attention first and bides his time.  The adviser frowns and strips his jacket, folding it into a makeshift pillow and tucking it beneath the blond’s head.  He’ll have to try to rouse him in a bit, but he needs to help Gladio now.

“Turn ‘round,” he murmurs as he stands up.  “I’ll get you out of those.”  He makes quick work of the ropes and his hand pauses briefly as it passes down Gladio’s wrist.  His wrists are chafed from struggling and Ignis wishes that he could do something for it.  His hand draws away; he’s afraid to linger too long and potentially reveal any depth of feeling for the other man.

He doesn’t want to give them anything to use against any of them.

“You good?” Gladio asks as the ropes fall away and he turns back to face Ignis.  This isn’t the time or the place for tender concern, but he can’t shake the image of Ignis unable to move with a blade pressed against his throat and he needs to be sure.

“No worse for the wear,” Ignis confirms.  He pauses as he considers the best way to fill the tense silence.  “Though our _friend_ needs to wash his hands.  His fingers were disgusting.”  A less polished man would probably wipe his mouth with the back of his hand at this point.  He debates whether or not he’s refined enough to fight the impulse, because he isn’t lying when he says that Kidman has nasty fingers.  It makes him feel filthy just remembering.

Gladio wants to laugh.  He thinks about it for a moment, but even Ignis’ jokes about his predicament remind him that it was close today – too close.

Ignis startles when Gladio’s hand closes briefly around his wrist, fingers brushing against the chafing on his own wrist; during the commotion Ignis hadn’t even realized it was there.  “You tried to break loose, too,” he realizes.  “At least until that coward started throwin’ threats like you throw spices.”

The adviser’s lips draw together in a wan smile.  “As did you,” he reminds Gladio.  There’s time to discuss all this later, however.  “We’re going to have to find a way out of here and rescue Noct.”  He glances around the room as Gladio had done earlier, looking at the room with an analytical gaze.  “Did you see anything we could use?”

Gladio frowns as he drops Ignis’ wrist and gives the room another sweep.  “There’s a few loose stones we might be able to work with, but I don’t think there’s anything besides that.”

Ignis sucks his teeth as he finds the aforementioned loose stones.  Likely pulling them away wouldn’t lead to the outside if the room is as far situated in the house as he suspects, and trying to fashion them into weapons would be useless.  They all still technically have access to their weapons; it’s just that pulling them out would spell death for each of them.

A chill seizes him as he realizes that if they cannot summon their weapons, then it means Noctis is dead.  He tamps down on the impulse to call his daggers and ensure that he’s still alive, concerned that the sudden summoning of weapons would alert their captors.

“Any ideas?”  Gladio’s voice pulls him back to the present and he’s grateful for something else to focus on.

Ignis gives him a brief rundown of the original plan he had formulated when things started to go south earlier.  “So if we can coerce them to bring us all together again, I think that would be plausible.  There are far too many variables for me to be comfortable with,” he admits, “but I fear that if we wait we will lose our chance.”

Gladio nods shortly.  It’s the best option that he can see right now, though he’s just as unnerved by the number of variables that could rear up and bite them in the ass.  “Where do you think they’re keeping Noct?”

The adviser kneels next to Prompto, placing a hand on his chest to check that his breathing is still even.  “Not far.  From what I remember, the Kidman family doesn’t often take prisoners unless there’s some benefit to them.  They’ll only have one or two cells.”

The larger man seats himself on the floor, frowning as he looks at the bruise on Prompto’s temple.  That’s going to be a hell of a headache when he finally wakes.  “You know these guys?” he asks, glancing back up at Ignis.

He shakes his head.  “Not personally.  But I recall reading an article recently about them.”  His lips twist wryly.  “Written by our own Dino Ghiranze, in fact; I wish I had put two and two together sooner.  The Kidman family is known for their wealth…not to mention the deposit of ore that they live on top of.”  Ignis frowns.  “I have to wonder now if Dino knew that he was sending us into the heart of their territory.”

The shield growls lowly, thinking of the reporter’s smug face.  “You hear what they said out there, about him keepin’ his nose out of their business?  He knew damn well what he was doing.  It’s why the Hunters wouldn’t help him.  They know the land and they know that the Kidmans are out here.”

Ignis sighs as he settles in and briefly lays a hand over Prompto’s forehead.  He’s not convinced that Dino is entirely malicious so much as the kind of man who plays his hand close to the chest and only reveals his cards when it’s prudent to do so.  Likely he had known that they wouldn’t go if they’d known there was a dangerous crime family nearby, and had tacitly withheld the information.  “It would seem that he held more facts than we did.  We’ll need to count it as a lesson in handling Dino moving forward.”

The dark-haired man will admit that he relaxes slightly at the words.  Ignis knows they’re getting out of this, at least.  Gladio knows that they _have_ to, but Ignis’ confidence that they _will_ is reassuring.

“For now,” Gladio offers, “seems like we’ll just have to wait and do what they want, until we can get Noct in the same room.”  Saying the words aloud boosts his own assurance in the plan and he sets himself a little straighter.

He doesn’t realize he’s instinctively placed himself between the door and the other men, ready to shield them from whatever tries to enter.


	3. Chapter 3

Noctis is about ready to tear his hair out by the time he’s thrown in the cell. His is as big as the small utility closet in his old apartment, and he can barely stretch his arms out without scraping his knuckles against the walls.  
  
But that’s not what’s on his mind right now. Right now, he’s trying to figure out how to get out of here.   
  
Kidman’s barely said a word the entire walk through the house, and he carelessly kicks the barred door shut behind him. Immediately Noctis is at the door, gripping the bars and glowering out at him.  
  
“We don’t want your ore,” he tries, repeating Gladio’s words from earlier in the hopes that maybe they’ll get through this time. “We just want to get back to Galdin Quay.”  
  
Hazel eyes dart back to him and a single pink eyebrow raises; the thought flitters through Noct’s mind that this guy might genuinely be so vain as to dye his eyebrows to match his ridiculous hair. “I’ve got the crown prince of Lucis,” Kidman says slowly, “and you think I’m gonna just let him walk out of here? There’s so many people who’d be willing to pay up for your safe return!” A cruel smirk twists his lips as he leans his weight against the door, hand stretched over his head lazily as he looks Noctis over.  
  
Noctis’ stomach clenches. Insomnia has fallen, and the world is in an uproar. His father is dead and Luna could be as well. Niflheim has their claws sunk into every meaty corner of the world, and this is why Noctis has been trying to lie low as he makes his way to Altissia. The only people he knows for sure are still alive and would be willing to pay for his safe return are locked away in a different cell in the house.  
  
And dammit, Kidman  _knows_ that. His smirk widens as he continues. “Oh, wait,” he says, his voice pitching in a lilt again. “They’re all dead, aren’t they,  _prince?_ ” Noctis can’t reply other than to clench his teeth. “There goes your hope of a ransom.” Kidman slips his knife seemingly out of his sleeve and lightly drags it along the bars, creating a little tune. “Maybe you’ll get lucky and Ghiranze will notice you’re missing.” But judging by the way he chortles to himself, Noctis knows that’s about as likely as Ignis sleeping past 6 am.  
  
Could he pay his own ransom – give these people something that would intrigue them? He thinks about the few possessions that they actually have that a crime family could find interesting. There’s the Oracle Ascension coins – they certainly qualify as interesting – but Noct is loath to part with them as they remind him of Luna. He supposes that he could offer to turn over the Regalia, but he’s pretty sure dealing with Cindy and Cid’s wrath over losing the classic car would be more deadly than  _this_  guy.  
  
“Ah, you’re too fun to play with.” Kidman reaches his hand through the bars and lightly nudges Noctis’ cheek. “I’ll keep you around…for now, at least.”  
  
Maybe this guy  _is_  more deadly. Noctis fights the urge to flinch away as he’s touched and grips the bars harder to steady himself. “Where are the others?” he asks, staring Kidman down.  
  
The older man doesn’t even deign to raise his eyes to answer; he’s idly cleaning out under his nails with the tip of the knife. “Safe, if you do what we tell you,” he says easily. “But I know they’re gonna behave, since they’re all so  _worried._ ”  
  
The prince remembers how easily Ignis had surrendered once Noctis was surrounded, and he flinches. He starts to fear that they may well and truly be screwed right now and his grip loosens slightly on the bars in shock.  
  
“Better get some rest,  _Noct._ ” Kidman’s harsh voice draws his gaze back up. “I’ll be back soon enough.” He smirks, shoves his hands into his pockets, and ambles away.  
  
As his footsteps echo down the hallway, Noctis slams his fists against the bars. It isn’t that they aren’t all strong enough to fight back, but with them all separated and these brutes threatening the others, Noctis knows that resistance is more difficult.  
  
\---  
  
The first thing that Prompto notices when he comes to is that he’s lying on the cold concrete floor and he has a crick in his back. The second thing he notices is the jacket tucked underneath his head and the pounding in his temples. He moves to sit up, but a slim hand presses lightly against his chest.  
  
“Not so quickly, now,” Ignis’ voice speaks. “You’ve taken quite a blow to the head.” He’s only wearing his button-down, telling Prompto that the adviser was the one to shed his jacket for him.  
  
Prompto groans but relaxes back against the floor. “My head hurts.” He’s trying not to whine, but the edge of one creeps in anyways.  
  
Gladio smirks wryly. “Yeah, not surprised. You got clipped pretty bad.”  
  
His gaze darts around before realizing that Noctis isn’t with them and too quickly he sits up. His head throbs in protest, but he shoves it aside. Prompto’s stomach clenches as he realizes that the situation they’re all in is far worse than he could have feared. “Where’s Noct?” He sees that the room is small and bare and that they are the only three present. The panic is clear as he desperately searches both Ignis and Gladio’s faces for some hint of where his friend is.  
  
Ignis and Gladio give him a rundown of what has happened so far, Ignis taking his time to check over Prompto for any lasting signs of injury. By the end of their retelling, Prompto is practically vibrating in place and raring to go. “We have to save him,” he blurts. “Who knows what they’re gonna do to him?” They’ve tipped him off to their semblance of a plan, but he’s too jittery and nervous about it to sit still. “So we just…have to wait until they let us all get together?”  
Ignis glances back to the hallway before nodding mutely. “I predict it won’t be long, as Kidman seems to like putting on a show.” He stills as the door swings open down the hallway and footsteps clomp towards them. He shifts his weight, standing and tucking Prompto behind him as Gladio steps forward to the door.  
  
Kidman ambles up to the door, smirking at the sight of the three of them in a line. “Cute, you’re all lining up for me,” he chuckles. “Alright, guys. I need the prince to do me a favor, so I need a volunteer to come along.” He glances over them briefly before pointing at Gladio and hooking his finger. “C’mere, big boy; you’ve been volunteered. Unless you want me to hurt your prince and then the two pretty boys behind you, of course.” His grin is almost gleeful now as he seems to consider new possibilities.  
  
Gladio scowls and steps forward, hand itching with the impulse to summon his weapon and bash Kidman’s face in. “Alright,” he says instead, keeping his voice low. “I’ll come with you.”  
  
Prompto’s on his feet now, pupils blown wide with fear as he watches Gladio exit the cell. “Hey, leave him alone!” He makes a move, but is stopped by the double-pronged assault of Ignis’ arm against his chest to stop him from stepping forward and the sight of Kidman pulling his knife and pointing it at Gladio’s throat. All three of them freeze, and Prompto finds that he can barely breathe for his fear.  
  
“You were out like a light before, so this is the only warning I’m gonna give you.” Kidman’s voice has swung back into that dangerous tone and Ignis splays his palm wide across Prompto’s torso to keep him in place. “You play by my rules here. You protest, and someone’s gonna get hurt.” He pauses as Prompto stays still and nods mutely. “There ya go.” With a smirk, he nudges Gladio out of the cell and kicks the door shut behind them.  
  
As soon as they’re both gone, Prompto looks at Ignis with shame in his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he says quietly. “I-I didn’t mean to get him hurt – ”  
  
Despite his concerns about showing affection to any of them, Ignis shifts to press his palm firmly against Prompto’s back. “You needn’t apologize; Gladio is unharmed,” he says, bleeding a bit of warmth into his voice in an attempt to help calm the younger man. “This man Kidman…” He tenses slightly once more. “He’s toying with all of us. No matter what we do, there’s always some threat of punishment.”  
  
The blond glances out through the bars, biting his lip. He hopes that Noct and Gladio will be alright. He already doesn’t like that they’ve been separated, but slowly they’re taking away the others, too. Prompto tenses as he wonders if Ignis will be dragged away next, leaving him alone.  
  
“We  _will_ find a way out of here, Prompto,” Ignis reminds him firmly. “If they are indeed taking us away to coerce Noct, then it means we have a chance to put our plan into motion sooner.”  
  
Prompto nods, letting Ignis’ words comfort him. The thought of what this Kidman might be doing makes him sick, but he knows that he has to be strong so they can rescue Noctis.


	4. Chapter 4

There’s no word from anyone for the next thirty minutes.

Ignis hears pacing down the hall outside of the cell occasionally, and it’s leaving him on-edge.  Prompto, too, looks as if he’s about to vibrate out of existence, and Ignis is trying his best to keep them both calm.  It doesn’t help that occasionally Leland will walk by and glance in at them.  Ignis is doing his best to ignore the other man, but Prompto keeps glancing at him through the door.

The worst part is that it seems to be some sort of psychological game.  That fact, more than the knowledge that the Kidman family is a dangerous crime ring, unsettles Ignis more.  Anyone can be the head of a _mob_ and threaten people, but not everyone has the capacity to capture and emotionally torture people.  Something is clearly not right with Kidman.

Forty-five minutes after Gladio had been taken away, the door opens once more.  “Alright, Goggles, you’re up.”  Leland pushes the door into the room before taking a step towards Ignis.

Prompto stands, his hands balled into fists, and he trembles as if he wants to step in between them.  But he remembers what happened with Gladio before, and he stays back – as much as it kills him to do so.

Ignis keeps his gaze forward as he lets Leland guide him out.  He knows that Prompto is holding himself back and that the younger man won’t want to be left alone, but this is all he can do for now.  Soon enough, they’ll all be together, and the plan will go off as well as can be expected.

“Ignis – ”  Prompto bites his lip, like he wants to say more, but he stops.  The adviser glances back but remains silent as the door shuts behind them.

He can’t say anything.  It would only cause undue stress and trauma if things go poorly.

And like that, Prompto is alone.  He shoves his hands into his hair, trying not to think about what is happening to the others.  They _have_ to be alive.  Kidman has to know that Noctis won’t do anything if they’ve been killed.  The knot in his stomach refuses to loosen and his shoulders hunch up to his ears.

He can try to fool himself all he wants, but this is a game.  Unless Kidman actually has an end goal in mind, then they’re all just pieces on a board to him, and the head of the family is the bratty child ready to throw the board when things don’t go his way.

Unbidden, he wonders when they will come for him.

\---

Gladio knows better than to relax when he sees Ignis brought into the room, but at least he knows the other man is alright.  This room is bigger than the cell, but it’s actively being guarded by a handful of the family members.  Both men glance around, trying to determine which one can be easily taken down in a fight.

“What’s the holdup been?” Gladio finally asks one of them as Ignis sits a few paces away.  “Kidman sure seemed antsy, but now he’s taking his sweet time.”

A woman with ombre hair and a bored expression steps forward.  “Be thankful,” she says flatly as she places her hands on Ignis’ shoulders and leans over him.  With her movement, it is clear that her body is toned and just as dangerous as everyone else in this house, and her casual stance belies a deeper threat.  Gladio bites back a growl, but Ignis remains impassive as ever.  “Things are gonna get bad when he finishes his negotiations.”  Her fingers flex briefly around the adviser’s shoulders before she pushes back and leans against the wall, playing with her phone again.

 _Negotiations?_   The men exchange a glance briefly.  They both know that there’s nobody alive who could feasibly bargain for their freedom, so that means…

Suddenly he understands.  Ignis’ lip twitches as he meets Gladio’s eyes, and he can tell that the shield has come to the same conclusion.

They aren’t being released – they’re being _traded_.

\---

When the cell door opens again, Prompto tenses.  He knows that it’s his turn and despite his unease he steps forward.  Anything he can do to keep the others safe – he’ll comply.

Leland seems a little surprised by his instant obedience, but says nothing as he takes Prompto by the arm.  The blond glances around as he’s led through the hallways, trying to see if there’s any sort of hint as to where Noctis might be, though he comes up empty-handed.

He curses to himself when he realizes he could have been memorizing the path they took, but the thought is cut off when Leland opens a door and pushes him inside.  Prompto turns back to give the man a _look_ , but his ire is forgotten when he sees Gladio and Ignis sitting on the floor.

“Guys!”  Prompto can’t keep the relief out of his voice when he realizes they’re both unharmed.  He makes a move towards them when the ombre-haired woman in the corner clears her throat.

“Have a seat,” she says, and despite the disinterested tone Prompto sees her hunting knife at her side.  He knows it’s not a suggestion and awkwardly sits where he is.

Ignis is relieved that Prompto wasn’t left on his own for too long.  He knows that having his friends taken away before his eyes has to have put stress on the younger man, but he’s holding together.  While the blond can often be prone to emotional outbursts, he knows when to buckle down and hold the course.

“Someone go get the prince,” the woman sighs to the room at large as she checks her phone.  “Kidman’s gonna be around in a few minutes, and he’s all finished.  Time to roll.”


	5. Chapter 5

Noctis glances up when the door swings open and Leland comes in. The prince is on his feet immediately, and Leland surges forward to pin his arms despite knowing that Noctis will not fight him. “Let’s go, prince,” he says, voice businesslike and clipped as he twists Noctis’ arms behind his back.   
  
The difference between how Kidman handles him and how Leland handles him is vast, and Notis isn’t sure which man he finds more unsettling. Where the bulkier man is professional and brusque, the pink-haired man is unbalanced and sultry and looks like he’s about ready to eat Noctis at any given moment that they’re together.  
  
_They’re each their own special hell,_ Noct decides as he’s forced out of the room.  
  
He wants to struggle as he’s dragged down the hall to another door, but he stills when the door is pushed open and he sees Kidman standing behind Prompto, Ignis, and Gladio. There are other people around the room, each holding a weapon in the general direction of his friends, who are kneeling in a horizontal line. Prompto’s biting his lip and gripping his knees so hard that Noct can see the wrinkles in the fabric of his pants even from his spot in the doorway and he barely stifles an angry sound. He meets Ignis’ eyes and the adviser’s gaze narrows slightly.  
  
_Stay calm, Noct._ Ignis knows this is likely their only chance, but so much can go wrong in these next few minutes that his heart is pounding.  
  
“Finally,” Kidman groans, rubbing his neck. “Taking care of the four of you is like herding cats.” He sounds genuinely put out by the process of  _holding four people hostage_ and Noct’s shoulders creep up to his ears as he tenses.  
  
But Noctis finds his voice and speaks lowly, trying to sound as deferential as possible. “What do you want from us?”  
  
“Huh?” Kidman seems genuinely confused for a moment. “Oh. From you lot? Teeechnically, nothing.” He checks his phone again. “My buyers, though? Who knows. They’ve been after you for a while, so they’re probably pretty eager to finally get their hands on you.”  
  
It’s thrown out so casually that Noctis is sure he misunderstands. “Wait – the Empire?” They're the only ones who have been pursuing them thus far. His blood chills and the fight leaves his body as he goes completely still against Leland’s grip. “You’re handing us over to  _Niflheim?_ ”  
  
The thinner man seems almost insulted by the suggestion. “ _Handing over_ says I get nothing out of it,” he protests. “They’re cutting me quite the deal.” He tucks his phone away and smiles dangerously at Noctis. “You know, they weren’t too happy to find out that we lived on such a nice deposit of ore and didn’t share. But  _they_ weren’t the ones who built this place from the ground up.” He takes a step closer to Noctis. “ _They_ weren’t the ones risking their lives to fight the monsters for even the chance at getting the ore.” Another step. “ _They_ weren’t the ones bleeding, sweating, and crying to refine the shit.” The distance is closed now and he takes Noctis’ chin in his hand. “But  _they_ wanted to take it away from us. That hardly seems fair, does it?”  
  
Noctis instinctively tries to jerk away, biting his lip. Gods, this guy is just exuding danger, and he has no choice but to sit here and take it. Kidman’s grip tightens for only a second before he steps back and opens his arm to gesture at the others in the room. His hands sweep over each of them and he smiles almost fondly. “ _They_ were gonna take away our livelihood, prince.  _They_ were gonna break up the family if we fought for it.” Something in his gaze softens as he looks at each of the people in the room. It’s there for only a second before hardening again. “And I couldn’t let them do that to my family.” He steps back, his fingers hovering between Gladio and Prompto as if he isn’t sure which one of them to lay hands on first. “You get it, don’t you, prince?” The softness from before creeps back into his voice. “You’d do  _anything_ for yours, too.”  
  
The worst part is that Kidman’s  _right_. That’s why they’re in this situation now – because Noctis would do anything to save the lives of his friends if he has any say in it at all.  
  
“You’d just gotten big enough to attract their attention, then,” Ignis says. He’s beginning to unravel the final threads of their fate. “And after Dino Ghiranze's article ran you knew they’d come for you unless you could offer them something better.”  
  
Gladio snorts and a wry smirk crosses his lips. “You panicked,” he realizes. “You didn’t have a choice until we wandered by. Must’ve thought you’d died and gone to heaven once you realized who we were.” He knows they’re poking the bear in the eye with a stick, but it’s almost worth it to watch Kidman frown for the first time.  
  
The man begins to pace now. No, he’s come too far to fall apart here. He’s barely restrained himself from giving in to his instinct to mow down anyone who steps foot on his land unbidden, and if he folds now then he has nothing to give to the Empire. “Clever, nosy little boys, aren’t you,” he says, and his voice is tight. He scowls and stands behind Ignis and Gladio. His breath is heavy and his fingers clench and unclench, as if he’s struggling with an instinct that he can no longer suppress. “I suggest you  _stop,_ ” he says, and his voice is back to the lilting song – but this time there’s the dangerous venom, and both façades bleed together.  
  
“Ignis. Gladio.” Noctis cuts in, his voice hard as he draws Kidman’s attention to him. “ _Don’t._  Stop badgering him, alright?” He knows that given half a chance, Kidman would very willingly choke the life out of one or the both of them for pushing his buttons. He can see it in the tension of his fingers. “I’ll go with them.”  
  
Their captor relaxes exponentially now that their  _words_  are gone as he steps back over to Noctis, and the danger seems to ebb away. “Great, that makes it  _so_ much easier.” Kidman raises his hand and gestures with his first two fingers. “Weapons on him, guys. Our ride will be here soon.” The family members all step forward, surrounding the prince.  
  
Suddenly every weapon in the room is pointed at Noctis. The woman’s hunting knife, Leland’s pistol, Kidman’s little knife,  _somebody has a fucking uzi –_  
  
Prompto gets his feet under him, but Gladio presses a firm hand against his shoulder to force him to stay down. “ _NOCT!”_ Prompto shouts. He tries to shrug Gladio off, but the shield holds him tightly.  
  
Despite it all, Noctis is smiling.  
  
After all, for the first time, every single weapon in the room is focused on him rather than the others.


	6. Chapter 6

Noctis is no pushover.  He’s tumbled with Gladio before; he knows how to fight.  And now that all of the attention is on him, he feels safe enough to drive his elbows back into Leland and get his arms free.  With a flick of his wrist, he summons his sword and whirls around.  His sudden movements catch the Kidman family off-guard and he clips Leland with it.  The bulky man crumbles, pressing his hand to the new wound in his side, and Noctis hurls the weapon into the wall at the end of the hallway and warps to it.

“ _Don’t just stand there!_ ” Kidman screeches.  _“Go after him!_ ”  He gestures for a few to follow him and he turns to face the other three. 

Gladio, Ignis, and Prompto stand, smirking as they each hoist their own weapons at the ready.  Kidman’s not going to get the drop on them again, and now that they’re no longer being threatened, Noctis is free to fight as he will.

The prince warps back in their direction, bringing havoc with him.  He’s practically grinning at the sight of his friends ready to fight.  “Behind you!” he shouts, drawing Kidman’s ire to him.  The prince ducks back out of the room and runs down the hallway, trying to draw them into more of an open area to let them all spread out.

Kidman’s hot on his heels, taking the bait and charging down the hallway after Noctis.  The other three are in pursuit, taking swings and shots at anyone who dares get in their way; most of the rest of the family falls one by one in this manner.  And while the Kidman family has numbers, the four have got each other.  They’re each watching the others’ backs to ensure that they’re not going to be overwhelmed and taken in again.  Noctis is occasionally sending glances backwards at them as he runs, but mostly he keeps his eyes forward.  He can hear Kidman occasionally roaring and swinging his knife, but the tiny blade means he isn’t getting any reach on it.  And with Noctis able to continually warp forward, he’s never going to be able to close that distance.

It’s not long before Noctis bursts through the front doors of the house, eyes finally darting around to look for any vantage points.  He finds a warp point and immediately goes for it, taking a moment to catch his breath and watch everyone else fan out across the landscape.  “Ignis, instructions!” Noctis calls, raising his voice to be heard over the distance.  The adviser immediately marks the few remaining family members and Kidman as Gladio gleefully takes a swing at a few that get too close to him.  Prompto hangs back, sniping off any that get too close to Ignis and Gladio.  The swordsman glances up, sees Prompto covering them, and moves back to support him as well.  He presses his back against the younger man’s and smirks when he sees that Prompto’s eyes are shining and he’s ready to go.

“Ready?”  His voice rumbles through them both.  Prompto glances back at him and grins.

“You know it,” the blond returns, and they both jump back into the fray, taking care to back each other so they aren’t separated and overwhelmed again.

Noctis uses the points that Ignis has marked for him and tears through the few remaining members of the family.  Kidman’s whirling around and suddenly realizes that he’s the last one standing.  Now his face is clearly panicked and he throws his hands up.

“W-wait,” he stammers.  “Maybe we can work something out – ”

He’s cut off when all four of them slam a hit into him at once.

\---

They leave Kidman and Leland locked in the two separate cells belowground.  The other family members are either unconscious throughout the halls or have crawled away to distant rooms to lick their wounds.

Gladio’s all for revenge, but he’s reluctant to spend any more time than necessary at this place.  He’s bringing up the rear, constantly watching to ensure that they won’t be jumped again.  Ignis watches their front as they lock the cell doors.

 “You think they’ll come after us?” Prompto asks as he glances backwards at the men unconscious in the cells.  His hand tightens on the gun and picks up his pace a little.

“We’ll be long gone before they can,” Ignis retorts as they stride faster.  “I saw the Regalia still parked where we left it while we were fighting.  Likely in taking the time to capture us they haven’t had a chance to do anything with it.”  He pats his jacket pocket and smiles wryly when he feels what is there.  “I appear to still have the keys as well.  It truly seems that they did not make any long range plans for us.”

“He didn’t even take our phones.”  Noct gives a short laugh.  “He really did just crack and get the jump on us, didn’t he.”

They’re back at the Regalia now and climbing in quickly.  “It seems that he was willing to do anything to protect his family,” Ignis says as he starts the car.

“Or his wares,” Gladio cuts in with a roll of his eyes.  He doesn’t buy the sob story and his eyes scan the sky for any Imperials that could be heading this way.

Noct rests his head back on the seat as Ignis floors it, getting them the hell out of there.  He’s pretty sure they’re going to have to talk about what happened in there, but that’s something that can wait until they’re far away.  And as tired as he is right now, he can’t go to sleep – he needs to stay awake and be ready to cover the others in battle should it come to that.


	7. Chapter 7

Dino is seated in his usual spot by the water at Galdin Quay when he hears four sets of heavy footsteps approach.  He glances up with a small smirk.  “Look what the cat dragged in,” he says, taking a moment to look the four of them over.  When he finds them empty-handed, his typical easy smile begins to fade.  Dammit.  He’d really been looking forward to this payout.  “Boy,” he says dryly.  “The monsters out there give you that bad a run, eh?”

Gladio’s hand abruptly slams against the slatted wood behind the reporter, making the whole wall rattle as Dino jumps.  He’s a hard man to catch off-guard, but right now he looks at the shield in bewilderment.  “’ey, what’s goin’ on with you guys?” he asks, no small hint of nerves creeping into his voice.

The dark-haired man bares his teeth slightly as he glowers down at Dino, not caring that he is well into his personal space.  “The name ‘Kidman’ ring a bell to you?” Gladio asks, his voice low and dangerous.

Dino pales.  Oh, shit.  “It might,” he retorts, trying to keep his cool persona in place.  “Probably heard about them somewhere before; couldn’t say for sure.”  He lifts his chin a little.  “Who’s askin’?”

Ignis steps forward, sharply slapping the newspaper he holds with the back of his hand.  “You are, apparently,” he says humorously.  “This article about the dangerous crime family ran in the newspaper yesterday…and of course, special mention went to the giant ore deposit that they live on.”  He turns the paper so Dino can see it better as he points to the headline.  “But I suspect you knew about that already, didn’t you?  After all, you wrote the article.”  His knuckles brush against the name ‘Dino Ghiranze’ under the heading.

Now Dino freezes and his gaze slowly trails up.  In that moment he becomes hyper-aware that he’s leaner and less toned than three of these guys, and the fourth – the scrawny blond kid – looks ready to kick his ass into next week.  The other three look like they’re planning to kick it into next _month_.  Dino swallows.

“Listen,” he says, lowering his voice slowly.  “I thought you could get in and out of there before the Empire descended on the place and took everything for themselves.  You know what kind of valuables are on that reserve?”  His fingers tighten imperceptibly against the arm of the bench.  “And here you are, yeah?  You got back alright.”

Prompto comes to his other side and sits on the bench, effectively hemming Dino in on all three sides.  “Do you have any idea what we went through?” he asks, and his voice is more dangerous than Dino has ever heard.  The lack of friendliness in it chills him and he looks to Noctis as if to ask for help, but he finds the prince’s face impassive and his arms crossed over his chest.  Dino glances around, his eyes falling on Gladio’s hand – still pressed far too close to his head for comfort.  He sees the red marks around his wrist and his eyes narrow.  Suddenly the pieces fall into place and he realizes why they’ve come back empty-handed.

“They grabbed you four,” he says.  “And you got out _alive_?”  The number of people who enter the Kidman family’s homestead but never return is likely far bigger than he can imagine.  The number who come back?  Dino can count that on one hand, and four fingers are taken up by the group in front of him.

Gods, it’s not like he sent them in there _on purpose_.  He’s grown pretty fond of this band, but the call of the Kidman ore was just too tempting to resist.  But as he watches the four of them stare him down, he wonders if the Kidmans are even worse than his report could have ever covered.

Dino’s throat clicks as he swallows.  “Tell you what,” he says carefully.  “I’m gonna put you four up in the hotel here for the night.  My treat.”  He smiles a little wanly.  Gods, that’s going to be a pretty harsh blow to his finances, but he’s fairly certain if he doesn’t, Gladio might toss him in the water.  And then come in after him.  “Pretty sure that tonight you’re not gonna want to be on the road out… _thataway_.”  He gestures in the general direction of the Kidman homestead.  “That oughta give you enough time to lay low for the night.  And if anything _happens_ tonight _,_ so to speak, you’re gonna see it in tomorrow’s paper.”  But he’s definitely not going to be the one to report on it.  _Hell_ no.  He barely managed to get away from Kidman alive the first time; he’s not stupid enough to go back.  “So.”  Light eyes flicker between the four.  “We square?”

There’s a long pause as they all consider his offer.  Gladio still looks as if he’s debating whether or not he should see how far he can throw the lanky reporter, but the prince steps in.  “Yeah, we’re square,” Noctis says slowly.  “But from now on?  Get your own ore, Dino.”

\---

The sun begins to disappear behind the water as they enter the room, shutting and locking it behind them.  Gladio’s pretty sure that the Kidmans are still tangling with the Empire – the crime boss losing the prince and his retainers was likely going to piss Niflheim off, and Kidman would be lucky if _all_ they did was take the land in return.  But he’s still on-edge from earlier and he knows he likely won’t sleep tonight.  Might as well make himself useful and keep watch.

Prompto immediately throws himself face-down on one of the two beds, groaning at how soft the mattress feels under him.  “I could sleep right here,” he murmurs drowsily, but Ignis shakes his head.

“Come here, please,” he says.  “I need to check you again and ensure that they didn’t give you a concussion earlier.”

The blond whines but manages to drag himself over to Ignis.  The adviser gives him a brief but thorough once-over and determines that he’s likely fine.  “Does it still hurt?” he asks, brushing his fingers over the bruise.

Prompto winces at the touch.  “A little,” he admits.  “Not too bad, though.  They couldn’t knock any sense into me!”

The opening is there, and Noctis takes it.  “Sounds about right,” he teases.  “Good to know nothing’s changed.”

The gunner pouts gloriously and seems about ready to return fire, but Ignis cuts it off by pressing a pack of ibuprofen into his hand and directing him towards the water pitcher on the desk in the corner.  “That should take the edge off of it,” he says.  “I’d say you’re fine to sleep.  I highly recommend that you do so after you shower.”

Prompto sits on the edge of one of the beds and interlaces his fingers.  He hesitates, and Ignis is pretty sure he knows why.  Even though it would just be for long enough to get clean and scrub off any evidence of their ordeal, it’s still a closed door and isolation from the rest of them – more of what had happened earlier.  The adviser sighs softly and acquiesces – this is something they’ll have to deal with together sooner or later, but for tonight he can let it slide.

“I suppose,” he says, “it would be just as feasible for us to rise earlier and shower then.”  When Prompto looks up at him with relief in his eyes, Ignis plays it off to allow him to keep his pride.  “I can occasionally be known to let these things pass,” he says with a small smile.  “You should both get some rest.”  He glances at Noctis, who’s already made himself comfortable on top of the comforter and is practically smothering himself with the pillow.  “Heaven’s sake, you’re going to suffocate like that.  Roll over at least.”

To nobody’s real surprise, Prompto joins Noctis on the first bed.  The prince easily slings an arm around his waist and at least turns his head sideways so he’s not completely buried in the pillow; he’s buried in Prompto’s neck instead.  The gunner relaxes exponentially at the touch and the tension releases from his neck and shoulders.  He’s able to close his eyes and it’s not long before his breathing steadies in sleep.

Ignis lets out a slow breath.  Well, that’s two taken care of.  He fetches the first aid kit and two small towels and makes his way over to the shield, who is still settled in the corner and watching every inch of the room.

But he does look up as Ignis settles into the window seat.  “Hey.”  His arms are crossed over his broad chest and Ignis notices that he has his wrists tucked away.  The adviser cocks an eyebrow and fixes him with a _look_.

“The younger ones are asleep,” he says.  “You don’t have to hide it anymore.”  He extends one hand to Gladio, the other hand spreading one towel over his lap.  “Let me see.”

Gladio sighs and finally gives in.  The burn on his wrists has been uncomfortable for most of the day, but he’s ignored it up to this point because they had bigger problems to worry about.  He lays his hand in Ignis’ and lets the other man guide him so he’s over the towel.  “It’s fine,” he grumbles, but it’s mostly noise and they both know better.

Ignis uncaps a bottle of water and gently pours it over Gladio’s skin.  “Clearly not,” he says at the resulting wince.  “Hold still a moment.”  He sets the bottle down and uses the other towel to wipe away the excess water.  Just as quickly he uncaps the antibiotic gel and rubs it over the abrasion as gently as possible.

He’s halfway through bandaging it when Gladio curses.  “Dammit,” he says, though there’s little venom to it.  “Iggy, when are you gonna let someone take care of _you_?”

The adviser glances up at him across his glasses and quirks an eyebrow.  “I am unharmed,” he says, reaching for Gladio’s other wrist.  “My abrasions were chafing rather than the actual _rope burn_ that you ended up with.”

“That’s not what I mean and you _know_ it.”  Gladio turns his hand and catches Ignis’ wrist.  He’s trying to keep his voice low to let the others sleep, but frustration bubbles up.

Ignis tries to think of the best way to steer this conversation.  “Our priority is to Noctis,” he says, but it rings hollow because he _knows_ Gladio knows that.  Repeating it is useless; the Amicitia family knows this duty better than most others.

“Yeah?  Like I don’t know that.  Doesn’t mean I can’t worry about you, too.”  His grip tightens minutely around Ignis’ wrist.  “You know if it comes down to it, my duty is to protect Noctis.”  Ignis looks like he wants to argue, to protest that of course he knows that, but Gladio cuts him off.  “It was still damned hard to have to watch that guy _manhandle_ you.”  He shoves his free hand through his hair.  “Fuck, he had a _knife_ at your throat and Noct was frozen because this guy had us all by the balls.”  Bitterly he chuckles.  “None of us were protecting _anybody_ today.”

"While we all came out alive, it was…not our best performance,” Ignis agrees.  He swallows and tries not to think about the way Noct had stared at him in horror when Kidman grabbed him.  “I think we will have to carefully evaluate future errands that we do for others.”

Gladio nods shortly.  “We’ve gotta watch each other, too,” he says.  “Gettin’ split up like that and overpowered was what did us in.”  This time when Ignis reaches for his other wrist, he lets him.  Just as carefully as the first time, Ignis cleans and bandages the wound; it’s mostly superficial and will heal in time.

To Ignis’ surprise, once Gladio’s other wrist is bandaged he’s being pulled against the other man’s chest.  “Be more careful,” he says.  “I don’t want to ever have to see you like that again.”  One hand rests on the back of Ignis’ head, like he’s afraid if he lets go the other man will be taken away again.  “If he hadn’t been threatening Noct and Prompto I might have broken his nose for you.”  Gladio pauses briefly.  “And a few other things.”

“I’m flattered.”  And truly, he is.  He rests his cheek against the swordsman’s chest for a long moment.  “Though I do not find breaking things to be my style, the sentiment is the same.  Perhaps a well-placed heel on his toes would suffice.  See how well he runs after that.”  Gladio chuckles in return, and for the first time since arriving Ignis feels him relax.  “Will you sleep tonight?”

Gladio seems surprised by the question and hesitates before answering.  “Probably not,” he admits.  “I’d rather someone stay awake in case they come back.”

Ignis nods his understanding.  “Agreed,” he says.  “I shall stay up with you.”  Gladio wants to protest, but if he’s being honest, he’s grateful for the company.  He’s even more grateful to have Ignis nearby and know that the man is _here_ and _safe_.  Instead he shuts his mouth and nods.

They’ve gone through quite a few cups of coffee between them by the time the sun rises and they’re burnt out.  But it’s worth it to see the other two sleeping peacefully through the night, safe and finding solace in each other.

And when the paper’s dropped off at their door with the headline _“Kidman Ore Ring Broken_ ”?  That’s just the icing on the cake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I had an utter blast writing this, and I hope you've enjoyed reading it as well :)
> 
> (Forever fixing typos RIP banjkazfan)


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